3 Mets players with the most to gain this spring

3) NY Mets pitcher Zach Muckenhirn can make himself a 40-man roster candidate

Who? It’s okay if you didn’t realize the Mets picked up Zach Muckenhirn this offseason. It’s equally as acceptable to not have the faintest idea who he is. The 27-year-old lefty was a minor league addition to the franchise back in November via free agent signing.

Should we expect Muckenhirn to grab a roster spot this year? Probably not, however, the chance to become a consideration for some innings and get his career trending in a different direction is there. The Mets have a couple of lefties in the mix for an opportunity this year. Muckenhirn is one of those players.

Last year in Triple-A for the Chicago White Sox, Muckenhirn had a 3.11 ERA in 55 innings of work. He has actually pitched very well over the last two years. A season prior in Double-A, Muckenhirn finished the year with a 1.77 ERA in 40.2 frames.

Muckenhirn falls into the category of guys who have nothing at all to lose when they enter camp this spring. He could just as easily be forgotten by the end of March. He could, however, become one of those minor league arms who captures our imagination and attention this year.

With a name like this, who isn’t rooting for Muckenhirn to win favor with the Mets in the spring and gain a chance later on in 2023?